Ginger Almonds

Monday, November 4, 2013

This entry is long overdue. I bought MS’
latest book entitled Martha Stewart’s
Cakes (2013) at MPH three days before my lovely girl, Nurul Hanisah’s 15
birthday. There are more than 150 scrumptious recipes on cakes, frostings,
fillings and decorative tips. I enjoy looking at the images of the delicacies
Martha has presented in the book.

Since Nurul Hanisah turned 15 on the 29th
October, I decided to bake the Devil’s Food Cake and topped it with the
Seven-Minute Frosting. I did not really follow the exact measurement of the
recipe. My reason was not wanting to waste the leftovers i.e. the sour cream, which I used
the whole tub of 250 gram instead of 1 cup. Since I did not have cocoa powder, I used chocolate
powder instead. Whatever it was, the cake was fantastic and undeniably
delicious. We really enjoyed it. The Seven-Minute Frosting was gooey like
marshmallow. It was a decadent treat!

Devil’s
Food Cake (adapted from MS’):

339
g unsalted butter, room temperature

1
cup chocolate powder

1
cup boiling water

250
g sour cream

450
g all-purpose flour

1
teaspoon baking powder

1
teaspoon baking soda

¾
teaspoon salt

470
g sugar

4
large eggs

1
tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1.Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 8-inch round cake
pans and line them with parchment paper.

2.In a medium sized bowl, whisk boiling water into
chocolate powder until smooth. Then whisk in sour cream.

3.Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and
salt.

4.Beat butter and sugar till pale and fluffy on
medium-high speed of the electric mixer, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a
time, beating until incorporated after each.

7.Spread the Seven-Minute frosting in between layers,
over the top and sides of cake, using an offset spatula.

Seven-Minute
Frosting (makes about 5 cups and
enough to frost the cake)

1
½ cup sugar

5
large egg whites

1
tablespoon light corn syrup

2
teaspoons vanilla extract

I added:

2 teaspoons strawberry paste

1 drop of red food colouring

1)In a
heatproof mixer bowl set over a pan of simmering water (double boiling method),
whisk together sugar, egg whites, and corn syrup until warm and sugar is
dissolved. The mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between the
fingers. This takes about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.